I grew up in the revivalist tradition. The goal of the worship gathering was to get someone saved, to rededicate their life, or to enter professional ministry. If none of these things happened for several months, the pastor--and by extension, the church--was ineffective. When people gathered to pray on Wednesday evenings, there was often prayer for revival.
My understanding is that all of this emerged primarily through what historians refer to as the Second Great Awakening, which broke out in my home state of Kentucky around 1800. I haven't done extensive study on the frontier revival, but the books and articles I have read indicate there were countless salvations, manifestations of the Spirit, and an emphasis on personal righteousness. In fact, the western frontier was so evil before this revival that it was often impossible to find someone to be a sheriff in communities characterized by lawlessness: theft, rape, and murder (which sound a lot like what the enemy is after according to John 10:10). All of these awakenings (salvations, holiness, manifestations) are not just good, but great and scriptural things.
So shouldn't we pray for revival? Shouldn't we long for it?
I don't know. Honestly. But I think that may be a request of the Father that is too small.
When I read the book of Acts, or the earliest writings of the church after New Testament times... when I consider Christian history before the era of Constantine the Great... when I ponder the needs of the post-Christian world we live in (at least in the U.S.)... I think maybe what we need is a revolution of New Testament proportions.
In short, revolution is greater than revival. And when we read Acts, what we see is a revolution.
What was the role of worship in that era?
It was a training ground for spiritual warfare with an emphasis on the real Presence of Jesus by the Holy Spirit. Those attending the gathering were not consumers but warriors. Their weapons were not of this world, according to the Apostle Paul. They were things like prayer, the word, their identity as saved ones, the truth, peace, faith, and the righteousness of Christ. Early followers of Jesus walked out of every worship gathering (which was daily, interestingly) ready to encounter the attacks of a spiritual enemy who used earthly influences to further his dark agenda.
Is our day much different?
I think not. The enemy uses individuals, entities, and worldly structures to spread dark influences. The ones I see and hear about most are fear, worry, anxiety and depression. None of those are gifts from the Father, which means they are attacks of the enemy.
And the enemy has succeeded in distracting us from the real battle we are to engage in when we worship.
We've been fighting over musical sounds and styles when we should have been fighting for the souls of our children, our friends, and our cities. We pray for revival while we ignore the needs of the poor, the marginalized, and unseen people.
We don't just need a revival. We need a revolution.
Revivals last a few weeks, months, or even a couple of years. A revolution changes the timeline of history. I am increasingly convinced that worship is the key, the gateway to a new world.
What does this mean for your worship planning? Preparation? Gathering? How would you apply these concepts (shaped largely by Ephesians 6) to your context?
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